Method of treating timber



Amgja 8, w45. c LucKHAUPT 4 .METHOD 0F TREATING TIMBER 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Chri Filed Dec. 4,

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Aug. 28, 1945.

C LUCKHAUP'II' METHOD 0F TRETING TIMBER Filed Dec. 4, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A l IUIJIIH.: Ln lilhmv E Patented Aug. 28, 1945 METHOD OF TREATING TIMBER Christopher Luckhaupt, Jamaica, N. Y., assignor to Henry J. Lucke, East Orange, N. J.

Application December 4, 1941, Serial No. 421,568

4 Claims.) (Cl. 117-59) My present invention relates to the treatment of lumber and more particularly an improved method for treating green lumber.

Generally, the invention relates to the treatment of wood or like cellulosic material with terpin hydrate, eitheralone or combinedwith certain fortiilers or other treatment material .-.1 set forth more particularly hereafter for impar. ing new or enhanced qualities to such treated material by subjecting such treated material to elevated temperatures in advance of the terpin hydrate or other treatment material. Preferably. such increased temperature is attained by gradual stages `of increase, and desirably to a final pre-heated temperature substantially that of the terpin hydrate or other treatment material.

'I'he treated material such as natural Wood and the like is insoluble in the terpin hydrate or other treatment material.

The invention comprises also the treatment y of wood or like cellulosic material with treatment material such as phenol resins, urea resins, asphaltum, tar, creosote and the like, employing as vehicle solvents, water emulsiflcations and the like.

In the instance of green lumber, optimum results are attained by the removal of all or substantial portion ofthe free water, largely contained in the sap passages of the wood structure, in advance of the stated treatment stage. Such removal may be accomplished by compressed air, but preferably by steam at a temperature range insuring minimum aqueous condensation, foilowed promptly by the pressure flow of the heated terpin hydrate or other treatment material in fluid status. Heated compressed air may be employed in lieu of steam. i

The invention may be applied to wood in log form by forcing therethrough heated treating material, such'as tei-pin hydrate or other treatment material at a temperature at or above 115 C., under pressure longitudinally of the log. Fortiflers with or without dyes or coloring matter may advantageously be admixed with the terpin hydrate or other treatment material, whereby the terpin hydrate or other treatment material under the imparted pressure forces ou-t not only all excess moisture, thus rendering the wood practically kiln-dry, but also simultaneously impregnates the entire log with the treating material.

Accordingly, 'under the stated preliminary A vfeature of the invention is an improved method oi. treating green lumber to render the same warp-proof and to lessen the danger oil shrinking.

A further feature of the invention is an improved method of imparting to lumber an enhanced finish without injury to the characteristics of the Wood itself.

A further feature of the invention is an improved method of treating lumber in the green lstate to remove excessi moisture therefrom vand .log to the treating material apparatus: and

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in central vertical section, of another embodiment for treating wood, including green wood.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated structures affordl the application of the method comprising the removal of free water from green lumber, as in log form, by the use of steam, including superheated steam under pressure viz, at a temperature oi' at least 115 C., by injecting such steam through the log from one end.- Preferably, injecting such steam from the butt end of the logis usually more eiiicient. The pressure of such steam preferably does not exceed 50 pounds although any desired pressure may be used. Under certain circumstances, the use of air, preferably hot, forced under pressure longitudinally of the log may be employed to forcev out the excess moisture.

If desired, color, such as any dye suitable for Adyeing Woodv and soluble in water, or water emulsions or other solvent vehicles, may be injected by way of pressure and passed from one end of the log to the other. until a steady stream of liq- -uid dye discharges from thefurther end, and

until the desired depth of color is obtained. After the lumber is dyed, preferably at as high a temperature as possible, air orsteam or superheated air or steam is injected and blown through 1 the log to remove free water caused by the dyeing operation.

The method contemplates the use 4of terpin hydrate or other stated treatment material, both for the purpose of removing water from the log and also as a carrier for any coloring matter that may be desired. To effect said operations, the terpin hydrate or other stated treatment matreatment material drives out all excess water within the .green log; upon cooling, the terpin hydrate or other stated treatment material forms a solid with the cellulosc material and is retained within the cellular structure of the wood. The temperature above the melting point of the terpin hydrate, viz., 115 C. is usually employed to liquify the terpin hydrate treatment material and the pressure may vary from ilve to nity pounds or upwardly per square inch.

The stated treatment employing materials such as phenol resins, urea resins, asphalturn, tar, creosote: and the like, employing as a vehicle water or other solvents, and the like, is expedited in rapidity of treatment period, and the resulting product enhanced in the imparted characteristics, by increasing the temperature of the treatment material definitely above atmospheric temperatures, and preferably in the range from'50 C. to 80 C. for alcoholic solvents or emulsions,

. or from 80 C. to 100 C., and even above to say 110 C. for less volatile solvents or emulsions.

The log to be operated on is preferably treated with the bark thereon, thus serving as an enveloping conduit. The log is positioned -in a device such as shown in the drawings, wherein I designates a base having at one end vertically spaced uprights II connected at their top ends by transverse members I2 and in which transverse members are elongated openings I3, see Fig. 3, which act as bearings for the shafts I4, on which shafts are mounted the rollers I5. The rollers I5 are .arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and the distance between the same may be varied in accordance with the length of the slots I3. The rollers I5, therefore. provide a cradle on which may be readily rotated a log, such as the indicated log. I5. At the other end of the base members l0 are the spaced uprights I1 connected at their top ends by a transverse member I8, from which is hung a chain hoist I9. The uprights I1 are braced by members connected at oneend to the base members I0 and at their other ends to the upper portions of the uprights I1.

The chain hoist I9 is provided with a hook 2I which passes through an eye 22 secured to a member 23. The member 23 is of staggered circular formation, being provided with a plurality of circular stepped portions 25, 28, 21, etc., see Fig. 2, each succeeding stepped portion being of 'progressively lesser diameter; themajor portion of the member 23 is encased in a cover by a heat conserving material 28.

The interior of the member 23 is hollow and is provided with a plurality of circular knife edges 29, 30, 3l, etc., there being one knife edge for each step on the .effective face of the same. Thus, each succeeding knife edge is of progressively lesser diameter in conformity with the successive steps 25, 26, 21, etc., above referred to. 'I'he reduced end of the member 23 is drilled and tapped to receive the threaded end of a pipe 32 which leads to any suitable source of air, steam or heated terpin hydrate treating iiuid, under pressure'flow, Such air, steam or heated terpin hydrate or other stated treating fluid, under pressure flow passes through a valve 33 interposed intermediate the ends of the pipe 32 for controlling the flow of said material therethrough. Said pipe 32 is lagged as indicated at 34 to conserve the heat of the material passing therethrough. The larger end of the member 23 is provided with a plurality of lugs 35 spaced about the periphery of the member 23 and extending therethrough are the bolts 38.

The member 23 is also-provided with diametrically arranged extensions which slidably engage with the uprights I1, which may be of suitable metal, and thus the member 23 and its asso ciated parts, as well as the log I5, is constrained to move vertically upward or downward. The nearer upright I1 has been omitted from Fig. l for the sake of clarity.

The threadedend of the bolts 35 screw into driven endwise, as to the left as viewed in Fig.

l, in order to seat the correct ringknife 25, 30, 3l, etc., according to the mean diameter of the log, into the surface of the butt end of the los. The ring 38 is then placed into position about the log', the nut 42 screwed onto the bolt 4I to clamp the same firmly around the log, thereby causing the pins 43 to bite into the log. The bolts 35 are thenv drawn to hold the log ilrmly into engagement with the effective ring knife.

At the end of the frame member I0 and adjacent the log I6 may be placed a tank 41 for catching the treating liquid ilowing out of the discharge end of the log, and such tank 41 may be provided with a pipe 48 for conducting such liquid to any suitable storage.

AAnother embodiment of the device above described is shown in Fig. 4. The illustrated member adapted to llt onto the end of a log I6 may be substituted for the above described structure 23 shown in Fig. 2. The structure of Fig. 4 comprises a plurality of concentricrings 48, 49, 50, 5I and 52, each provided with an internal thread at one end, an external thread at the other, and with circular knife edges 49a, 50a, etc., at the exposed ends of which are outside threads. The ring 49 is screwed into the ring 48, the ring 50 into the ring 49 and so on. Into the ring 52 is screwed one end of a coupling 53, said coupling being provided with a bore 54 which, in turn, is internally threaded at 55 to connect with a pipe, such as the pipe 32 in Figs. 1 and 2 and for the same purpose as above set out.

Fig. 5 shows another suitable typical apparatus and illustrates a method of treating wood pursuant to the invention. Such apparatus may comprise a tank 50 in which may be placed the selected terpin hydrate or other stated treatment material 5I and is shown provided with a canopy or hood 52. Connected with the hood 52 is a pipe 53 through which air may pass into the hood 52. Connected to the canopy or hood 52 is a pipe 54 provided at or adjacent its discharge end with a blower 55 having an outlet 56 which is connected to a-receiving chamber 51.

Within the tank`50 is a support 58 upon which may be placed the to-be-treated lumber or other portion of wood 60. The support 58 is provided with apertures 59 to allow the entrance of treatment material to the under end of the wood. The

upper end of the wood 60 when immersed may be disposed adjacent to but slightly below the upper surface of the terpin hydrate or other stated treatment material The terpin hydrataor other stated treatment material, either alone or admixed with fortifier or with or without coloring material, as above described, is placed in the tank Il and'rendered'to liquid form by heat to the desired degree of temperature, as preferred.

The wood 60 is first supported in any suitable manner under the hood 52 as to one procedure for pre-heating the same, and preferably to the temperature of the bath 5I advantage in the treatment of green wood. Thus the temperature of the cellulose structure of the green wood and its contained water and moisture, is gradually raised, a 'certain portion' of which passes oif in the form of steam, which is disposed of as by being drawn oif by the suction blower 55.

Thisstep is of especial of the pressure medium while preheatin'g-'such` material to a temperature at or above 115 C., thereby creating steam under pressure within the' treated material, and thereafter subjecting-`the treated material while thus preheated to terpin hydrate treating material at or above 115 C., whereby the thus supplied terpin hydrate constit uent chemically combines-with residual ywater content of the treated material to form solid conrposition filling the voidsA ofthe treated material. 2. The method ofitreating wood oriike cellular material embodying free water c ntent which comprises reducing the free water content by simultaneously applying steam under pressure-at* or above 115 C. at an`end of such-'material afford ing passage therethrough of the steam thereby preheating the treatedV material and simultaneously converting a portion of such free water conl tent to steam under pressure, and thereafter subjecting the treated material while thus preheated f to terpin hydrate treating material at or above '115 C., whereby thethus supplied terpin hydrate constituent chemically combines with residual water content of the treated material to form solid composition illling the voids of the treated material.

3. The method of treating Wood or like cellular material embodying free water content which engenders the formation of steam under pressure V within the body ot the cellulose structure, which pressureis enhanced by the subsequent terpin hydrate treatment at 115 C. 'or upwardlyg Reference is made 'to my co-pending application executed Novemberfz, 1941., and entitled Method of treating cellulosic materialsy and resulting product, filed December 4, 1941and bearing Serial No. 421,569, wherein is set forth the procedure generally of controlling thev density of the resultant treated cellulosic material either by increasing the density either uniformly or'nonuniformly asy by subjecting the treated porous cellulosic material 'to uniform or non-uniform compressionand/or the addition of an ingredient to the terpin hydrate treatment material for de`-,

creaslngthe density of the resultant product..

p Whereas I have describedmy invention by ref'- erence to specific forms? thereof, it will be under' Y stood that many changes and modifications may be made .without departing from the spirit of the invention. w

I claim:

l. The method of treating wood or like. cellular material embodying free water content which comprises reducing the free water content by simultaneously applying pressure at an end of the treated material affording passage therethrough comprises reducing the free water content'by simultaneously applying pressure at an end oi' the treated material aiIording passage `therethrough oi' the pressure medium while preheating such material to a temperatureat or above C., thereby creating steam under pressure within the treated material, and thereafter subjecting the treatedmaterial while thus preheated to terpin hydrate treating material under 'positive pressure at or above 115 C., whereby the thus supplied terpin hydrate constituent chemically combines with residual water content of the treated material to form solid composition filling the voids of the treated material. 4. The method of treating wood or like cellular material embodying free water content which comprises reducing the free water content by simultaneously applying steam under pressure at or above 115 C. at an end-of such materiaaifording passage therethrough ofthe steam thereby preheating the treated material and simultaneously converting a portion of such free water contentto steam under pressure, and thereafter subjecting the treated material while thus preheated to\terpin hydrate treating material under positive pressure at or above 1155 C., whereby the thus supplied terpin hydrate constituent chemically combines with residual water content of the treated material to form solid composition filling 

